BURLINGTON — A man is facing charges of stealing an historic document from the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington and trying to sell it.

Police say Patrick Rooney took the more than 220-year-old document regarding the town of Sterling while he was given access to the public library’s historical collection. Authorities say he then tried to sell it to the University of Vermont’s Bailey-Howe Library.

The document, which was written in 1791, is technically valued at between $175 and $500 but police say it’s been described as priceless.

The document has been recovered and returned to the Fletcher Free library.

Rooney has been ordered to appear in court on Jan. 21 on charges of selling stolen property and petit larceny.